Baldwin County resumes grant payments to Sea Lab

BAY MINETTE, Alabama -- The Baldwin County Commission voted 4-0 Tuesday to lift its suspension of grant payments to the Dauphin Island Sea.

The commission voted Aug. 6 to suspended the payments after learning from county staff that the Sea Lab was not giving the county all the paperwork that the county needs when the Sea Lab submits invoices for payment.

Ron Cink, the county's budget director, told the commission last week that county and Sea Lab officials resolved the issues after meeting to discuss the problem.

The county and the Sea Lab are partners on two projects that are being paid for with $500,000 in Coastal Impact Assistance Program grant money.

One project involves shoreline and habitat restoration, and the other deals with monitoring stations that collect data, including water and air temperature and humidity.

When work is performed on a project, the Sea Lab is supposed to submit invoices, reports and other supporting documentation to the county.

"I believe from having met like this a number times we have drawn Dauphin Island Sea Lab and Baldwin County Commission closer together," Commissioner Frank Burt said.